Investigations on the plant uptake of fission products from contaminated soils. I. Influence of plant species and soil types on the uptake of radioactive strontium and caesium

Results of pot experiments on the uptake of radioactive Sr and Cs by different plant species are presented, and comparisons are made between the uptake figures registered on some representative Danish soils. The uptake of radioactive Sr varied considerably between plant species and could be evaluated from their Ca uptake. The Sr-89/Ca ratio varied between different parts of the same plant, being relatively high in the roots of root crops and low in seeds and fruits. The Sr-89 uptake from different soil types decreased with increasing content of exchangeable C a in the soils. The Ce-137 uptake varied between plant species and could be reduced by potassium fertilization. The uptake from different soil types generally decreased with increasing clay content, but also the content of organic matter influenced the plant availability of Cs-137.